2015 Ashez Picks His African XI

[Ashez]

Ashez Picks His African XI

 

After a delay longer than i would have liked i'm finally bringing to you my African XI within FMH 2015, the African Cup Of Nations is in full swing and i think this is the perfect way to celebrate the great tournament which is completely ignored in game, so without wasting anymore time let's get on with the show!

 

All images are taken from day one

Formation - 4213

 

Goalkeeper

 

Vincent Enyeama

 

 

African keepers are in short supply in game, especially the good ones and i did struggle to decide on who to included but after some testing i felt the Nigerian international deserved the spot. Stat wise from a day one save Enyeama looks like a solid investment as he's decently aged in terms of keepers while having a decent stat spread including three greens with the blues almost on the verge of a colour change, seriously if you want an African keeper this is the man to go for!

 

The Defenders

 

Faouzi Ghoulam

 

 

Initially i was struggling to find a left back for this team and i had intended to included two right backs, one of which i knew could be retrained but then i stumbled across Ghoulam. From a first glance you can see that this Algerian international is close to being the perfect wing back as he has some interesting attacking stats like his crossing attribute while also having solid defensive stats which will only improve with training, most importantly though he has the stamina to run the line all day long! As i said i was unsure on this lads inclusion but after testing him i was impressed, he won't come cheap but i would recommend you give this lad a chance if you're after a solid full back or one with an African nationality.

 

Allan Nyom

 

 

Who expected Serge Aurier in this position? I have to admit i did when i made my notes before researching the list but from my experience Aurier is disappointing, seriously he's one of the biggest let downs of the year so far for me! Aurier may have been a disappointment but Allan Nyom is a fantastic player who again like Ghoulam has the ability to attack and defend with ease while having the physical stats to make him a real force to be reckoned with, another bonus is he normally appears transfer listed early on so you can pick him up for a steal! Highly recommended.

 

Nicolas Nkoulou

 

 

Nkoulou looks like a fantastic young ball playing defender as his stats are simply fantastic and remember these are without any form of training, he'll only get better! 17 in tackling and 20 in positioning is nothing to turn your nose up at, especially as he has the ability to abuse the off side trap due to his teamwork and captain potential with that pretty solid 15 leadership stat. In all seriousness i think Nkoulou is one of the best looking central defenders on the game with his only real slightly off stats being his pace and heading ability but i'm sure these will bump nicely with some intensive training. 

 

Mehdi Benatia

 

 

You don't become one of the most in demand defenders in the world without being top quality and as you can see Benatia is a class act which led to his big move to Bayern in the summer. Stat wise the Moroccan international is impressive as he already has 20/20 in two of his most important stats while the rest are equally as solid, not only is he a world class defensive player but he's also got the ability to play the ball and the physical stats of an Ox. Another interesting point about Benatia is his age, at the age of 27 this central defender has a number of years left but most importantly for the next few seasons he'll be within his peak, i doubt Bayern would sell him cheap but he's worth considering, especially as his wage demands don't seem to be too over the top compared to others. 

 

The Midfield

 

Victor Wanyama

 

 

If you follow my careers or my post in general you knew Wanyama would take this spot, he's seriously my favourtie midfielder on the game as he's beyond consistent and does the job of a defensive midfielder beautifully. At the start of the game Wanyama is 23 which is a brilliant age to sign a player as he'll be ready for the first team with roughly twelve seasons left in the tank which means it'll be a position most of you won't need to worry about again. Stat wise he starts the game looking impressive as ever as his defensive stats are already solid with his physical stats also being fantastic, if you sign one player from this list please make sure it's this guy! 

 

Yaya Toure

 

 

This list would have no credibility at all if i didn't include the Manchester City midfielder as he's one of the best central midfielders in the world, just look at those mouth watering stats! His list of attributes is simply stunning and it means he can perform any role your heart desires while also doing it well, the only downside to Toure is his age which unfortunately means he won't last too long within your game. Age aside though and Toure is a player i suggest you all use before it's too late, you simply won't find much better as he can do everything! 

 

Yacine Brahimi

 

 

How could i not include the African player of the year on my list? Brahimi is a young and exciting attacking midfielder who plays for FCP in Portugal and the Algerian national team and his quality is clear to see. His attacking stats already look rather impressive with his 15 pace and 18 dribbling being enough to scare most defenders and that's not taking into account his fantastic technical and movement stats, and remember he'll only get better with age and training, surely a player everyone most try this year! 

 

The Strikers

 

Wilfried Bony

 

 

Following the trend it's time to look at Manchester City's latest signing who was yet another must include on this list and i'm sure you all expected the powerful Ivorian to be leading the line. Bony is an amazing specimen within the game as he's got the strength and power of a target man with the finishing ability of a poacher which basically makes him the perfect striker, granted his heading ability is slightly average but it'll only improve with intensive training. I've been using Bony in game for a number of years now and he's a player i've always enjoyed using, unfortunately though he seems to be a casualty of the stamina bug so while i'd recommend him i'd suggest staying away until the next patch has been released. 

 

Vincent Aboubakar

 

 

A high profile move in the summer to FC Porto has put Aboubakar on the radar so far during 2015 and it's clear to see why he's fast becoming a great of the series! Not only does the Cameroonian international have speed and power but he also has fantastic movement, killer dribbling skills and the finishing ability of a seasoned pro and all this at the age of 22! He becomes hot within game very quickly and his price will soon sky rocket so i'd suggest making him a first season purchase for sure, or you can always play as FCP and watch him tear the world apart, truly a fantastic player. 

 

Asamoah Gyan

 

 

I have a love hate relationship with Asamoah Gyan, on one hand i love watching him in real life and his finishing ability is fantastic but on the other hand he followed the money and is now almost impossible to sign in game, i couldn't even attract him as PSG! My problem with this is because i want to use him as i like him but it's impossible to sign him for a club at a level which mirrors his ability more, sure i could sign him for Real Madrid but that wouldn't make much sense. Stat wise Gyan is a brilliant striker as he can finish chances, create space with his movement, run at pace while controlling the ball and many other important attributes a striker needs, this was the hardest spot to fill as i was thinking about players like Papiss Cisse, the Ayew's and Doumbia but they say there is a fine line between love and hate and for this reason Asamoah Gyan completes my list. 

 

If you feel like i over looked someone please don't hesitate to tell me as i love hearing your views and as always thank you for reading and please remember to leave a comment.

[BatiGoal]

Great read, Ashez.

Makes me hate the fact that we don't yet have African leagues even more.

 

Top of my head Pione Sisto is missing. Can't fit him into your formation i guess.

Nordin Amrabat (Galatasaray) same story i think, is a good player to come off the bench.

[Dec]

Nice work Ash, I love Nkoulou in FMH. Such a great player for a cheap price.

[Ashez]

@Bati: Yeah I'd love the international teams to be playable, been requesting it for years but getting nowhere . Sisto is a hell off a shout but I decided strikers are more popular than wingers hence why I've gone for a narrow formations .

@Dec: Thanks, yeah he's a quality player for sure .

[Niall_McGinn]

I'm surprised that you had any trouble at all with left backs. Ghoulam has it all. I found him when adding World Cup squad members to the Unifying Database for last year and he is fantastic.

[Ashez]

I just hadn't come across him before, he's a player I won't forget in a hurry though!

[RJH777]

Nice squad and post - looking forward to seeing most of these guys in your career

[Ashez]

Thanks